You’ll Never Guess What FIFA World Cup Record This Morocco International Just Broke

Morocco will take on France in a blockbuster quarter-final at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but before a ball has even been kicked, one of the Atlas Lions’ rising stars has already etched his name into the tournament’s history books.

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Ayyoub Bouaddi has become the second-youngest player ever to feature in a FIFA World Cup quarter-final. The Moroccan midfielder reaches the milestone at the age of 18 years and 280 days, highlighting his remarkable rise on football’s biggest stage.

Only Brazilian legend Pelé achieved the feat at a younger age. The three-time World Cup winner was 17 years and 239 days old when he played in Brazil’s quarter-final victory over Wales during the 1958 FIFA World Cup, a record that still stands today.

The Morocco-France clash will also witness another piece of World Cup history. FIFA has confirmed that the entire officiating team appointed for the match will come from Argentina, making it the first time in FIFA World Cup history that all match officials for a World Cup fixture are from the same nation.

With history already being made before kick-off, Friday’s quarter-final promises to be another memorable chapter in Morocco’s remarkable World Cup journey.